The Case for Secular Activism

Abstract

A critique of irrational social institutions and their role in upholding oppression would not be complete without a discussion of religion. The Nonhuman Animal rights movement has sustained bloated nonprofits, sexism, and racism despite the tendency for these institutions to work against liberation efforts. The same may also hold true for religious approaches to vegan abolition. Religion is sometimes a powerful tool for many social movements, and it can certainly offer particular benefits to mobilization and claimsmaking that should not be rejected. However, this chapter will offer an alternative, secularized approach worth considering. Religious ideology often stands in opposition to a scientific, evidence-based approach to anti-oppression work. Many advocates rely on faith as a point of resonance, but faith alone is insufficient for effective advocacy. Indeed, faith has historically acted as an important barrier to social progress. This chapter will discuss institution-alized religion and its relationship with Nonhuman Animal oppression. It is argued that religious tactics are largely inappropriate for challenging inequality, specifically speciesism.